The Best Rewards
by btamamura
Summary: Why is it exactly that Albert never wishes to accept a medal from the King following a successful mission? Here's the reason why, as he tells D'Artagnan.


**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Albert the Fifth Musketeer or the characters. I do own characters not featured in the series._

**Notes: **_**Okay, this is a lighter fanfiction, set about a month after Albert became a Musketeer. I wanted to write a possible reason as to why he's so opposed to receiving a medal from the King or Queen following a mission, and I found myself thinking of his grandmother (who never appeared in the series, but it seemed like a lesson a grandparent could've taught him).**_

_**Philbert is his father's canon name. Enjoy!**_

It had become common for Albert to skip out on medal presentations. He'd done a lot of hard work too, maybe even more so than the other Musketeers, so he truly deserved them.

_So, why doesn't he want to accept them?_ D'Artagnan asked himself. He decided he may as well ask Albert the reason, pondering wasn't going to do any good.

Albert was sitting in his newly assigned workshop, he was reading a book at the table. He was so involved in it that he didn't hear the door open and footsteps approaching him.

"Albert?"

He jumped, almost dropping his book. He turned to face who'd entered the room. "Oh, D'Artagnan! You startled me!"

"Sorry about that."

He set down the book after slipping a card between the pages he was reading. "It's alright. So, what brings you in here?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Well, go right ahead. Won't you take a seat?"

He nodded and sat at the other side of the table. "We've all noticed this. Whenever it's time to see His Majesty following the success of one of our missions, you're never there. It's as if you don't want a medal as well."

"I don't."

He was surprised by the bluntness of the response. "Huh? But, why? You've earned it just as much as the rest of us."

"I know. But, knowing I've done a good job is all the reward I really need."

"How come?"

"I didn't join the Musketeers to earn medals, and Papa never told me to make people know of the Parmagnan family. I joined because I wanted to help keep peace in Paris and keep our monarchs satisfied."

"There's something else to it, isn't there?"

"No, not at all." He rested his arms on the table and leaned over slightly. "Though...Grandmama did help encourage those beliefs."

"How so?"

_**Albert was staying with his grandparents for a weekend. They lived in a village half a day away from his home, and his parents thought it would be good for him to see more than what he was used to. They trusted Philbert's mother, so it had been agreed that every month, the boy would spend a weekend with them.**_

_**A young woman had come to visit. "I'm very sorry to trouble you, Madame."**_

_**The elderly woman smiled patiently. "It is no trouble at all. What can I help you with?"**_

_**"It's my daughter. She has an unknown illness, and since you're the one who has been helping treat everyone in the village these days, I was wondering if you could please have a look at her and maybe treat what's ailing her?"**_

_**"I wouldn't mind, but have you asked the doctor?"**_

_**"I have. He doesn't know what to do..."**_

_**"I see. Alright then, please lead me to your home. I hope you don't mind my grandson coming with us?"**_

_**"Not at all."**_

_**Albert ceased playing with the wooden boat he'd received for his birthday earlier that year and looked up at his grandmother. "Where are we going?"**_

_**The elderly woman turned to him, a fond look in her eyes. "It looks like you'll be needed again, my little assistant."**_

_**"Okay!" He set the boat back into the water and hurried to gather his grandmother's belongings.**_

_**She turned to the young woman. "Whenever Albert stays here, he acts as my assistant. It helps him meet more people."**_

_**"Oh, I see." The young woman watched as the six-year-old picked up a large book and put it into the satchel. "It looks like he knows what he's doing."**_

_**"Of course."**_

_**They were at the house. Due to the nature of the illness, Albert was asked to wait outside the bedroom, just in case it was contagious. He sat on a seat and listened to the muffled voices. "Grandmama really knows how to help people. But, she never accepts a reward for it. Why?" He swung his legs back and forth as he waited patiently. He smiled as he heard some sounds that were positive. "She treated her!"**_

_**The door opened, and out stepped his grandmother and the young woman. The young woman was crying tears of joy. "I cannot thank you enough, Madame. I thought for sure I was going to lose my only child, but you saved her!"**_

_**"Your thanks is all that is needed. I'm only relieved I was able to help your daughter. Now, just keep giving her that medicinal herb in some broth for each meal, and she should recover in a few days. Be sure to contact me if anything should change in her condition."**_

_**"Of course. Merci beaucoup, Madame."**_

_**She turned to her grandson. "It's time for us to go now, Albert."**_

_**He nodded and hopped off the chair. "I'm ready, Grandmama!" He accepted the satchel and started to carry it out of the house.**_

_**As they were leaving, a young man approached them. "Please wait! You saved our daughter's life! Surely there is something we can do to repay you?"**_

_**Albert watched his grandmother shake her head, repeating that she was glad she could help the child, and that was all the reward she needed.**_

_**As they were walking back home, he decided to finally ask. "Grandmama, why didn't you accept a reward? It looked like they wanted to give you anything."**_

_**"I didn't decide to study natural remedies for the sake of receiving material goods, Albert. I just want to help people, like that little girl. If not even the doctor was able to save her, she could've been dead by the end of this week. Knowing I was able to save her life, keep the family together and full of joy...that's all that I want...all that I need." She turned to face the horizon ahead of them. "I want you to always remember that. Don't help others expecting to receive something in the end, help them because it is the right thing to do. Alright?"**_

_**"Alright, Grandmama."**_

_**"Now then, you've been a good boy, so for dinner tonight, we'll have your favourite meal."**_

_**"Is this because I'd helped you?"**_

_**"No. It's because you have been a well-behaved child and deserve the reward."**_

"As I got older, I was able to understand more about what Grandmama had said. It hit me on one particular day."

_**He was no longer a small child, he was a young man. He'd been training with his father so he would be able to go to Paris and enlist in the King's Musketeers. He was walking along the road through his village when a cry for help filled the air. "I'd better see what's going on." He picked up the pace, heading in the direction the voice was coming from.**_

_**He found a small boy sitting under a tree and crying. He knelt beside him. "What is the matter, little one?"**_

_**The boy looked up at him. "Some mean boys...they took...something important to me..."**_

_**"Do you know where they are? I can try to get it back for you."**_

_**"Merci, Monsieur. They said they were heading to the old, broken-down house. They know I'm too scared to go in there."**_

_**"I see. I'll go with you, alright?"**_

_**"But, I..."**_

_**"There is no such thing as ghosts or monsters. And if you're with someone else, something scary doesn't seem that way."**_

_**"Okay."**_

_**"What did they take?" He helped him to his feet. **_

_**"It's a pendant with Papa's portrait in it. Mama gave it to me after he died."**_

_**"Alright then. Let's go to that old house and get that pendant back."**_

_**They stood in front of the old house. The boy was trembling horribly, terrified of the appearance of the place.**_

_**Albert placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "It does appear to be scary, but I'll be with you. I won't allow anything to happen to you. I promise."**_

_**"Alright, Monsieur."**_

_**"My name is Albert. I should've said that earlier."**_

_**"My name is Renaud."**_

_**"Alright, Renaud, shall we enter?"**_

_**The boy nodded hesitantly and entered the building alongside the seventeen-year-old.**_

_**Outward appearances weren't the only thing that made the house seem creepy. It was filled with lots of broken furniture, dust and cobwebs. It wasn't very inviting, and it made Renaud seem even more uncertain about being there.**_

_**"It is alright to be afraid, but it's not alright to let our fears rule over us. In order to get your pendant back, you'll need to be very brave, find those boys and get it back."**_

_**"But, it's too hard...it's so scary in here."**_

_**"I want to admit something to you."**_

_**"What is it?"**_

_**"I do find this place to be a little scary myself. It's not because I believe it to be haunted, it's just because it seems rather unwelcoming."**_

_**"Even a grown-up like you is scared?"**_

_**"Yes. But, because I want to help you, I'm not going to allow my fears to rule over me. Just as you shouldn't let them rule over you."**_

_**"You're right." The boy seemed a little braver after hearing his new friend was a little scared himself. "Let's find them."**_

_**"That's what I wanted to hear." He beamed. "Once you show those boys you're not so scared that it's keeping you from getting back what's important to you, then they will most likely cease giving you a difficult time." He took a few steps forward. "Now, I want you to be careful. This house is rather dilapidated."**_

_**"Dilap...?"**_

_**"Broken-down. Watch where you step, alright?"**_

_**"Alright."**_

_**They made their way through the house with little issue, only a few cobwebs in their hair to show they'd made their trek. They found the group of boys sitting in the old Master Bedroom. "Give back my pendant!" Renaud demanded.**_

_**The tallest of the boys sneered. "Oh? And who is going to make us?"**_

_**Albert frowned. "You boys are being horrid right now. You are to give that pendant back to Renaud immediately, and then leave this house."**_

_**"Like I'm going to listen to someone smaller than me."**_

_**"You should learn to respect your elders, boy." He looked to Renaud and saw the boy was near tears. "Don't let them see you cry, it's exactly what they want."**_

_**He nodded and fought them back. He stepped forward. "Pierre, that pendant is very special to me. Mama gave it to me."**_

_**Pierre scoffed. "Like I care!"**_

_**Albert had noticed something in the boy's tone. "Excuse me, Pierre, was it? Could it be that nobody has ever given you something special before? Is that why you and your friends took Renaud's pendant?"**_

_**Pierre growled. "Shut up!" His voice was trembling.**_

_**"I thought so. Pierre, it's not right to take something that belongs to someone else. That pendant really is important to Renaud, it has a portrait of his father in it. It's a precious memory that he treasures."**_

_**Pierre's eyes widened. "It's not just a pendant?"**_

_**"No. Now, why don't you give it back to him? We can let bygones be bygones if you do."**_

_**Pierre looked to Renaud, then to the pendant. He opened it and saw the picture. "I remember him." He looked to Renaud again. "Alright. I'll give it back."**_

_**Renaud smiled. "Thank you, Pierre!"**_

_**The tall boy approached Renaud and handed back the pendant. "I'm sorry for taking it."**_

_**"It's alright, you gave it back."**_

_**Albert smiled. "Don't think you're going home empty-handed though." He reached into his pockets to try to find something. His fingers pinched a coin. He pulled it out and handed it to Pierre. "Now you can say you have received something special. I was fortunate enough to find this on the road earlier today. I want you to have it."**_

_**"Merci, Monsieur."**_

_**"Now then, I think it's time we left this place." He led the boys out of the dilapidated house.**_

_**The boys apologised to Renaud again before making their way home.**_

_**Renaud turned to Albert. "Merci beaucoup, Albert! I wish I had something I could give you as thanks."**_

_**"Oh no, you don't need to give me anything. Seeing you smile, knowing I'd helped you face your fears and retrieve a precious memory...that is all the reward I need. My grandmama told me to help others, not to receive anything material in the end, but for the satisfaction of knowing that I'd helped bring a smile to someone's face."**_

_**"Okay then, Albert. I'd better head home now, Mama is probably worried."**_

_**"It is almost sunset. I'll walk you back to your home, it's along the way to my own anyway."**_

_**"Alright."**_

"When I saw Renaud and Pierre smile, I knew I'd received my reward. Seeing those boys happy was all that I needed."

D'Artagnan was resting his head in his hand, his arm propped up on the table. "Hmm? So, that's how come."

"Yes. I don't see the need in collecting material items to prove I've done a good job when there is much more that can be earned."

"Like what?"

"Personal satisfaction, new friends, the chance to see someone who was miserable smiling. Those are the best rewards in my opinion."

"Oh, I see. Well, I still like getting medals, so I'll stick to that. You can do your thing if you want."

"I intend to."

"Alright, I'll be off. I'll see you later." He rose from his seat and made his way out of the workshop.

Albert waited until D'Artagnan had left before he picked up the book and opened it to where he was up to. "Now to continue rewarding myself." Because of the self-satisfaction he felt from completing the mission that afternoon, he'd thought it would be nice to treat himself to some quiet reading time. He'd earned it, after all.


End file.
